


Back Seat, The

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-06-30
Updated: 2002-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-15 15:02:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14792735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of theWest Wing Fanfiction Central, a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in theannouncement post.





	Back Seat, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

 

**The Back Seat**

**by:** Dee 

**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna  
**Rating: MATURE**  
**Spoilers:** Thru Stirred  


**Notes:** Somewhere on the campaign trail. This story is for anyone whoever got stuck in the middle seat on a red eye. Follows: "The Window Seat"  


  
"I don't understand why I have to sit in the back seat?"

"Because Donna gets car sick."

Donna turned to look behind her. "It's true."

Sam sighed and sank back into the seat. "I don't exactly feel great back here."

Donna turned to Josh, who was driving, "Sam is turning into Whiny Boy."

"What?"

Josh glanced at his watch. They were ten hours into their twelve-hour car trip to South Carolina, which is right about the time when Sam got whiny. "Yep."

"Did you just call me Whiny Boy?"

"I did. It's okay. We all have alternate personalities. Josh is Silly Boy," Donna informed him.

"And Donna is Hysterical Girl," Josh finished.

"It's been a while since we've all been together. This could almost be fun." 

"See," Josh said to Sam. "She's hysterical already."

The road stretched out ahead of them as night fell. 

"Tell me again why we're driving?"

"Because we needed to make several stops at some of the campaign offices along the way before the primary. It's good P.R., Sam."

"I know what P.R. is," he snapped. "I just don't see why I have to do it."

"You're supposed to be getting a flavor for the campaign," Donna reminded him. "How can you write about the reaction of supporters you've met across this great land if you haven't met any of the supporters across this great land."

"I met supporters in Washington."

"Doesn't count," Josh said. "I tried that line too."

"I don't understand the two of you. The last time you guys were the first ones on the bus, the first ones off the bus. You didn't sleep; you didn't stop. You lived and breathed this election. Now you're complaining about a car trip? What's different?"

She was right, Josh thought. He lived for this stuff. Or at least he used to live for it. Maybe it was because he was four years older. Maybe it was because he was four years wiser. 

Or maybe it was because he was in a car headed to South Carolina while his girlfriend was in an empty bed in Washington.

He turned to Donna. No, that wasn't it.

"I'll tell you what's different," Sam exclaimed. "Politics sucks."

"Sam is still feeling a little betrayed by the whole Vice President thing," Josh explained.

"It was wrong," Donna agreed. "Despite the fact that you don't like him, Josh, you should have at least been up front with him."

"It wasn't wrong. We had to consider every option."

"It was wrong!" Sam repeated. "And you should have told me."

"Okay," Josh answered.

"I'm out of the loop, Josh. Far, far out of the loop. So far out of the loop I don't think I'm in the Beltway anymore. Hell, half the time I think Donna knows more about what's going on than I do."

Donna turned to Sam. "I do."

"See!"

"She's teasing you. Tell him you're teasing."

"Okay, I'm teasing." But she softly shook her head and Josh nodded. 

The truth was in some things Donna probably did know more than Sam. It's just that he was a sharer. He needed to say things out loud sometimes and hear how they sounded before acting. And it's not like he could tell Amy anything. God knew what she would do with that kind of insider information.

"You're really not teasing me are you?"

"I'm really not."

"Now I'm getting depressed. Let's move on to another topic."

"Okay. Let's talk about something besides work."

Josh glanced over at her. "Like what?"

"Like our lives outside of work. Sam, are you seeing someone?"

"Huh?"

"You know, a girl?"

"What would I do with one of those?"

Donna shook her head sadly. "You really need to get out more, Sam."

"I know."

"What about Ainsely?"

"What about her?"

"You like her," Donna told him.

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"I do?"

"I think. You always get very fidgety around her. And your cheeks turn pink."

"They do not."

"I hope not," Josh intervened. 

"What about you, Donna? Are you seeing anyone?"

"No."

"She was," Josh said quickly.

Donna looked at him. "I was, but I'm not now."

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"It didn't work out," she said evasively, cursing herself for encouraging this line of conversation. Really, she had just wanted to tell Sam that he should ask Ainsely out.

"Give."

"No."

"Why not?" Josh asked. 

"Josh," Donna growled. Her warning was clear. "Drop it."

"Kay. I'm just saying do you think possibly it might not have worked out because once again you picked someone completely wrong for you."

"Okay. Remember when I told you the other day that I loved you�"

"What!" 

"Sit down, Sam," Josh warned him.

"You told Josh you loved him. See this is the kind of thing I'm usually kept out of. Does Toby know?"

"He did a nice thing for me, but now he's about to ruin that by doing a mean thing."

"Josh did a nice thing?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Josh wanted to know.

"You're not very nice," Sam said.

"I'm nice." He looked to Donna who was shaking her head. "I'm not nice?"

"As a rule, no," she admitted. But then she softened when she remembered what he had done. "But sometimes you can be nicer to me than anyone ever has."

He glanced over at her and took in her gooey statement. "I can nice."

"Yes," she whispered for a moment forgetting Sam was in the back seat listening. "And for the record, I know you've done a lot for me. It's not that I don't know that. I do. I just chose to forget �you know, the thing."

"Okay."

"But you didn't remind me."

"Didn't see the point."

"It was almost as nice as the other thing you did. Not throwing that in my face."

"You think?"

"What in the hell are you two talking about!" 

Donna ignored Sam. "And I meant what I said. I do love you, Josh. You're the greatest friend I could ever have."

"Yeah," he muttered his chest suddenly feeling tight. It had happened the first time she told him she loved him. Her arms had been wrapped around him; his face had been in her hair. He hadn't done what'd done for thanks, but it sure felt good to be her hero again. 

He hadn't been her hero in a long time. Too long.

And he knew she didn't mean she was in love with him. At one time he thought that she might have been� but that ended. But she did love him. And he loved her. He just wasn't ready to say the words. Each time he tried they kept getting stuck in his throat.

"Are you going to tell me what you're talking about?" Sam whined.

"No." Josh smiled softly at Donna then turned his attention back to the road.

"Then you both need to stop."

"Okay."

"Well, now it's Josh's turn to talk about his love life, which should be interesting since apparently he's the only one whose got one."

"No," Josh said.

"No," Donna said at the same time.

They looked at each other then quickly averted their eyes. 

"Why not? How is Amy?"

"She's fine."

"Can we change the topic?" Donna pleaded feeling a little bubble of hysteria welling up inside her.

"Why don't you want to hear about the happy couple, Donna?" Sam asked a little smugly. 

"We're not that happy," Josh admitted.

"What?" Donna asked stunned.

"You're not happy?" Sam asked. "But she's smart and beautiful and witty and� just like you. How can you not be happy?"

"I'm not not happy. I'm just saying we're not like�you know the happiest couple."

"All couples fight, Josh. So if this about is about what she did at the party�"

"What did she do at the party?"

"She went over Josh's head," Donna told Sam.

"She did? Over your head to Leo?"

"Worse. To the First Lady."

"Wow. And you guys are still together."

"Josh forgave her," Donna said.

"You don't think I should have?" Josh wanted to know.

"No, of course you should have. After all it's not like she didn't have a good reason."

"So you're saying it's okay for her to go over my head any time she thinks her cause is just."

"No."

"You didn't go over my head."

"Well, I can't. I'm not Amy. I just an assistant."

"But if you weren't just an assistant would you have gone over my head?"

No. She wouldn't have. Because she trusted Josh even when he gave her an answer she didn't like. Sometimes she didn't think that Amy did. But she would be the last person on the planet to admit such a thing. It would be sincere, but it would sound like jealousy. And if she were being honest with herself, it might be a little jealousy too.

"I refuse to answer the question on the grounds that you would probably do something stupid, like tell her what I said, and then I would have to speak with this woman again in the future and I don't want her to hate me."

"Why do you care if she hates you?" She did of course. She hadn't said anything in so many words, but when they had gone out the other night and he'd told Amy about the plane incident and how Donna was being crazy about what would or would not upset her, she'd sort of gotten this look. This �oh her again� look. It made him think about how often he brought up Donna when they were out together. 

Amy said she didn't like the fact that he slept on his assistant. She said Donna was right, and that their relationship, while she had no intention of interfering with it, was not at all professional. 

"Because it would make things awkward."

"Oh but things aren't awkward now." This from Sam in the back. 

"Things aren't awkward."

"Yes, they are."

"No, they're not."

"Yes, they are. You two never look at each other when you're talking. And you don't really talk to each other so much as you do at each other. There's a definite vibe."

"No, there isn't," Donna insisted.

"Yes, there is."

"You like Ainsley."

"No, I don't."

"Okay, can we stop this," Josh chimed it. "Let's just forget Amy, and the vibe, and Ainsley."

"Fine," Donna quipped and crossed her arms over her chest. "But just so you know there is no vibe. Amy and I get along fine together."

"Sure." Only the thought of them getting along didn't sit as well with him as the thought of them not getting along. When he was less tired he might spend some time thinking about why that was.

"So what do we talk about now?" Sam wanted to know.

"How about our chances in November?"

The car fell silent and the three of them instantly realized that that was the last thing they wanted to talk about. The future was too uncertain. 

"Or we could sing car songs. You know Row Row Row your boat..."

Donna turned to Josh then looked over her shoulder back at Sam and nodded. "Silly Boy has just made his first appearance of the night."

  
The End.  


Sequel: Cool People Sit in the Back


End file.
